Heartless government and the ice cream man

For many of us, the sight of old uncle selling ice cream along orchard road is nothing unfamiliar with. Along the stretch of Orchard Road from Somerset MRT station all the way up to Orchard station, along the walk way outside paragon and lucky plaza, one will spot 2-3 legitimate ice cream sellers along the way. This uncle have applied the license to sell, the proper tools of trade and most of all, as I observe, the pay good attention to hygiene. In short, they are all honest man trying to eke out a leaving selling ice-cream in bread and wafer (those popular kind if you remember).

I decided to take a candid picture of this ice cream uncle and to my surprise, he actually pose for the shot! Well the picture is above and boy does he look glad to have his picture taken. Hmm...maybe he mistaken me for a tourist. As a gesture of goodwill, I brought a wafer biscuit ice-cream from him, it is a rectangular block of ice cream place inbetween two wafer biscuits in case you don't know. Use to be selling for 50cents few years ago but have since been jack up to $1.

Found a good place to sit to observe how well his business is doing. As his mobile stall located at a really busy walk way, business was exceptionally good! Every half a min or so, as long as a crowd is walking pass, he will be able to sell to 3 or 4 customer. Wow, good business I thoughts, just standing there scooping ice cream and its legal some more! In the next few minutes, reality sets in. A group of man in approach ice-cream uncle and demand him to show them his vendor license, after looking through it, they ask for his I/C. The uncle is still busy doing his business thus I thought it was just a routine check to catch illegal vendor by this group of man, believe to be officer from a government agency. The next thing that happen really really set me back and realise how HEARTLESS our fucking government is. One of the man from the group step in front of the stall and tell ALL THE CUSTOMER TO GO AWAY saying the stall is no longer selling ice-cream. I can see the face of ice-creanm uncle becoming very depress. Man! What the hell happen? He is legally at work, whats wrong.

With his customers chased away, Uncle could do nothing but just pack up and call it a day. This bunch of government dogs later gave him a summon which looks like $150. Apparently uncle was fined for selling ice cream outside his stipulated location. All the while Uncle was kowtowing to them and saying thank you and sorry. THANK YOU FOR THE FINES???? Thats ridiculous.... I was mad, and I was staring at on of them, the younger one. I guess the young chap was feeling a bit guilty of what he did and just look away.

I don't understand whats wrong with selling ice cream at that area, uncle is not obstructing traffic, uncle is not obstructing the pedestrian, uncle is not a terrorist and in all his is legally at work, making people happy and cool with tasty ice-cream. A group of heartless man just spoilt his day. I am really saddden by what I saw, a 50 years old uncle, who might not have any children to take care of him, who might have a sick wife at home thus he is trying hard to earn a living and suddenly a bunch of man just drop by and like gangsters ask for a "FINE" (like protection money ) and chase him away. On one hand, the government is promoting entrepeuners and on the other hands they are setting all sorts of restrictions. What kind of business and society spirits can it breed with such things happening around?

To those "DOGS" I saw that day, you can take that $150 fines and shaft it up your ass and yes, please carry on to carry the balls of your superior and send more misery to the common folks!